Meta Reportedly Abandons Fruit-Based Naming for AI Models
Meta has decided to stop using fruit-related internal codenames for its AI models in order to align with a more ambitious brand positioning. Prior models utilized names such as Avocado, Mango, and Watermelon. This shift reflects how major tech companies are moving away from quirky internal nicknames toward grander, more impactful branding as AI models advance toward frontier capabilities. It mirrors a broader industry trend where tech giants prefer powerful and imaginative names for their flagship AI systems. Meta's latest frontier AI model, Wonder Full, used 'Watermelon' as its internal codename, which executives joked meant they had run out of large fruit options. Other tech giants like OpenAI and Google have similarly experimented with grocery-inspired internal or niche product names.
## BACKGROUND
Large technology companies routinely assign playful internal codenames to software and hardware projects during development before releasing them under official, market-facing commercial names. In the AI industry, these internal names often leak or are later revealed by executives during interviews and podcasts.